Vauxhall Park Vauxhall Park Management Plan 2012 - 2017 Friends of Vauxhall Park Lambeth Parks & Greenspaces 4th Floor Blue Star House 234-244 Stockwell Road 020 7926 9000 [email protected] A Vision for Vauxhall Park “Our vision is that by 2016, Vauxhall Park should be a modern urban park of the highest quality, which preserves its historic character while providing a safe peaceful and varied environment for relaxation and recreation and enhancing the wellbeing of all sections of the community.“ 2 Vauxhall Park Management Plan 2012 - 2017 Foreword In Lambeth we have over 60 parks, commons, cemeteries and other open spaces, which enrich all of our lives and make Lambeth a better place to live, visit, and work. From major and local events, casual and competitive sports, reflection and contemplation, through to outdoor play spaces for children, we know that parks and open spaces are necessities in the modern world. Lambeth’s open spaces have experienced a renaissance in recent years, and we have seen our many active parks groups rise to become champions for green spaces, including exploring new models in how to manage and maintain them. We now have 12 Green Flag Award winning parks and cemeteries, the highest number we’ve ever had; and the latest Residents Survey revealed 76% of local people judged Lambeth’s parks and open spaces to be good or excellent. To ensure they meet our customer’s needs, Lambeth’s parks, cemeteries and open spaces are managed to Green Flag Award standard, using a rigorous set of criteria such as being welcoming, healthy, safe and secure, clean and well maintained, sustainable, respecting wildlife and heritage, community involvement, well marketed and good management. We want all of Lambeth’s parks, cemeteries and open spaces to be able to fly a coveted Green Flag, or aspire to this challenging but highly rewarding indicator of quality. In addition, through our new in-house grounds maintenance service, Lambeth Landscapes, we now have the capacity and flexibility to respond quickly and efficiently to ensure our open spaces remain at that standard throughout the year. We also have a Parks and Cemeteries Capital Investment Plan which sets out a framework to help everyone see what the priorities are for improving our parks and other open spaces. It provides the evidence and rationale for investing in green spaces and underpins the thinking behind future improvement. This represents the biggest investment we have ever made in our open spaces; our Friends groups and the wider community have shown us time and again the value of our open spaces, and this is a demonstration of our commitment and a response to their efforts. Yet while we have a vital role in delivering better open spaces, we cannot do it alone. This management plan is a story of partnerships where council and local people are working together to help shape and deliver standards and improvement in this particular site. The impact our residents have had on the design and implementation of improvements across each parks and open spaces cannot be understated. This plan shows what really matters to the many people that use this site. Working together, we hope this plan continues to act as the catalyst for stronger coordination to enhance its future and that of all of Lambeth’s parks and open spaces. Thank you for joining our efforts to protect and improve our valuable parks, cemeteries and open spaces. If you require any further information with regards to this management plan and the work we’re doing to make it a safe, welcoming and enjoyable space to be in, please contact Lambeth Landscapes on 020 7926 9000 or at [email protected]. Councillor Jack Hopkins, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Business and Culture London Borough of Lambeth Olive Morris House Brixton Hill London SW2 1RD www.lambeth.gov.uk Contents Item Page Foreword 3 1. Introduction 8 2. General Site Information 9 2.1 Name, Address & Location 9 2.2 Physical & Geographical Details 9 2.2.1 Area of Site 9 2.2.2 Grid Reference 9 2.2.3 Access 9 2.2.4 Land Tenure 13 2.2.5 Status 13 2.2.6 Public Rights of Way 13 2.2.7 Geology 13 2.2.8 Hydrology & Drainage 13 2.2.9 Planning Authority 13 3 History & Current Status 14 3.1 Historical Evolution 14 3.2 Key Features and Areas of Vauxhall Park 21 3.3 Cultural and Aesthetic Value 24 4. Vauxhall Park – Forward Vision and Masterplan 31 4.1 Drivers for Action and Change 31 4.2 Community Vision and Priorities 31 4.3 Lambeth Parks & Greenspaces Strategic Plan 32 4.4 Open Spaces Strategy – Improving Quality Scores 33 4.5 Vauxhall Park: The Vision Masterplan 34 5. Vauxhall Park is a Welcoming Place 38 5.1 Objectives 38 5.2 Current Status and Management Actions 38 5.3 Accessibility 38 5.4 A Visible Presence 38 5.5 Park Café 38 5.6 Signage 40 5.6.1 Park Entrance Signs 40 5.6.2 Boundary Signage 40 5.6.3 Directional Signage 40 5.6.4 Behavioural Notices and Signs 42 5.6.5 Building Information Signage 42 4 Vauxhall Park Management Plan 2012 - 2017 Contents Item Page 6. Vauxhall Park is a Healthy, Safe and Secure Place 44 6.1 Objectives 44 6.2 Current Status and Management Actions 44 6.3 Risk Reduction and Management 44 6.4 Play Equipment 44 6.5 Lambeth Police and Lambeth Community Safety 45 6.6 Lambeth Parks & Open Spaces Byelaws 46 6.7 Dogs and Dog Control 46 6.8 Sports, Health and Wellbeing 47 7. Vauxhall Park is Well Maintained and Clean 49 7.1 Objectives 49 7.2 Current Status and Management Actions 49 7.3 Grounds Maintenance – Practical Management 49 7.3.1 Financial Allocations to Vauxhall Park 50 7.3.2 Obtaining Value for Money 50 7.3.3 Service Specifications & Performance Management 51 7.4 Additional Capital and Revenue Investment 51 7.4.1 Repairs & Maintenance Budget Allocations 51 7.4.2 Capital Investment Opportunities 51 7.5 Vauxhall Park Management Outcomes 52 7.5.1 Entrances 52 7.5.2 Grassland 52 7.5.3. Trees 53 7.5.4 Ornamental Gardens 54 7.5.5 Children’s Play Area 54 7.5.6 Lavender Garden 54 7.5.7 Tennis Courts 55 7.5. 8 Multi Use Games Area 56 7.5.9 Park Buildings & Structures 57 7.6 Cleanliness and Waste Removal 57 7.6.1 Litter, Flytipping and Clinical Waste 58 7.6.2 Dog Waste 58 7.6.3 Graffiti and Flyposting 59 8. Vauxhall Park is a Sustainable Park 60 8.1 Objectives 60 8.2 Current Status and Management Actions 60 8.3 Sustainability in Parks and Open Spaces 60 8.4 Recycling, Composting and Peat Policy 60 8.5 Pesticides and Fertilisers 62 8.6 Water Conservation 62 5 Vauxhall Park Management Plan 2012 - 2017 Contents Item Page 9. Vauxhall Park as a Conservation and Heritage Flagship 63 9.1 Objectives 63 9.2 Current Status and Management Actions 63 9.3 Protection and Enhancement of Heritage Character 63 9.3.1 Formal Gardens and Model Village 63 9.3.2 Railings, Fencing and Gates 64 9.3.3 Vauxhall Park Style Guide – Furniture and Fittings 65 9.3.4 Celebrating and Recognising Heritage 66 9.4 Protection and Enhancement of the Natural Environment 66 9.4.1 The Lambeth Biodiversity Action Plan 67 9.4.2 Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation 68 9.4.3 Naturalised Area Management in Vauxhall Park 68 9.4.4 Tree Management and Protection 69 9.4.5 Environmental Information and Interpretation 69 10. The Community is Involved in Vauxhall Park 70 10.1 Objectives 70 10.2 Current Status and Management Actions 70 10.3. Community Involvement 70 10.4 The Friends of Vauxhall Park 70 10.5 Education and Vauxhall Park 71 10.6 Children’s Play Facilities 72 10.7 Youth Groups 73 10.8 Voluntary Organisations & Volunteering Opportunities 73 10.8.1 Community Volunteering 73 10.8.2 Business Volunteering 74 10.8.3 Community Payback 74 10.9 Community Events 75 11. Vauxhall Park is Marketed to the Right Audiences 78 11.1 Objectives 78 11.2 Current Status and Management Actions 78 11.3 Vauxhall Park Information Leaflet 78 11.4 Lambeth Council Website Information 78 11.4.1 Vauxhall Park Web Information 78 11.4.2 Lambeth Parks – General Information 79 11.4.3 Lambeth Parks – Additional Information 79 11.5 Other Marketing Information 79 12. Vauxhall Park is Well Managed 81 12.1 Objectives 81 12.2 Current Status and Management Actions 81 12.3 Staffing and Management Structure 82 Contents 6 Vauxhall Park Management Plan 2012 - 2017 Item Page Appendices 1. Vauxhall Park Vision and Management Action Plan 2. Vauxhall Park Risk Assessment 3. Lambeth Grounds Maintenance Specification 4. Vauxhall Park Planting Guidelines 5. Vauxhall Park Tree Management Strategy 7 Vauxhall Park Management Plan 2012 - 2017 1. Introduction This is a management plan for Vauxhall Park, which covers its management and development from 2012 to 2017. The plan is informed by consultation with user groups, schools, site staff and officers. Its initial development was overseen by the Management Plan Steering Group, which comprised representatives of the Friends of Vauxhall Park (FOVP) and Lambeth Parks & Greenspaces. It was compiled by Barbara Moth, landscape consultant, who prepared it under the direction of the Steering Group using CABE Space and Green Flag Award guidance. It was completed in March 2006, and formally adopted in May of that year.